Drowning
by christikat
Summary: Wilson goes swimming which results in a dangerous situation for him. Wilson's POV Spoilers for episode 6x10 and 6x11


**Drowning**

It had been a bad idea to go swimming in this weather. The clouds were grey and hanging low above the surface of the sea. The wind blew heavily, causing the waves to pile up until they were huge. The sea didn't look inviting – at all.

Going swimming – especially in this weather – was idiotic because I knew I wasn't a good swimmer. I'd have beaten up myself for my stupidity but I was too busy with holding my head above the water. Unfortunately I wasn't always successful.

The waves rolled me from one side to the other, sometimes I didn't know which way was up. I drank a lot of salty water which in addition made me feel sick. Not to mention that I was freezing and terrified. No one would ever find my body and House surely would assume that ... that ... I didn't know what he'd assume. I was exhausted and around me was only water and water and even more water.

I was coughing out water when I turned around and saw a big wave rolling in my direction. Wide-eyed I stared at it until it hit me, turning my world upside down. I was kicking and flailing, trying to find the surface. I panicked when I became aware that I didn't know if I was trying to swim in the right or wrong direction. My lungs were burning from the lack of oxygen and I felt my blood pounding through my veins. Was that it?

I tried to find my way upwards but I couldn't keep my mouth shut, the need for air was too overwhelming. How stupid to open my mouth when I knew that I'd only swallow water! The first watery breath that I took, shook my body and brought tears to my eyes.

Suddenly something grabbed me around my torso and pulled me into a different direction. My next breath was still under water, causing my body to jerk and convulse. As I was about to pass out, my head breached the surface and I spluttered, coughed and cried. I was manhandled on my back with someone holding and pulling me back to security.

I was so tired and exhausted that my eyes dropped close but a growled, "Stay awake, you idiot." coerced me otherwise.

"House?" I croaked.

I tried to turn my neck but I couldn't. I was shaking and none of my muscles wanted to cooperate with me. Finally we seemed to reach the beach and he simply dragged me onto it until the water only swirled around my feet. I was still coughing and shaking and suddenly my world turned around on its axis again. It took me a moment to realize that House had rolled me on my side. Suddenly his face was right in front of me and I could see various emotions. Fear, anger and pain were some of them. He was clutching his bad thigh and his breath came in gasps. I wondered how it had been possible for him to rescue me but could only manage to ask, "You okay?"

"Idiot!" he yelled and held his hand above me as if he was going to hit me. I wished to be coordinative enough to curl myself together but I already got rescued so that was obviously a bit too much to ask.

I blinked, coughed some more and tried to speak. From the distance I heard approaching sirens and felt House's hands palpating my body. His voice sounded strange and foreign when he said, "You god damn moron! I'm going to give you the worst hiding of your entire life and you know what? I'll _love_ it. But for now I think it's best we make sure that you're going to survive."

He went on but that was when unconsciousness claimed me.

XXXXX

When I woke up again my chest hurt and to breathe hurt even more. I groaned and tried to sit up to maybe breathe more freely. I started when House told me, "Not only did you almost drown because you thought that you were some kind of superhero but you also got pneumonia."

I stared at him from wet eyes, trembling from the effort to breath. He still looked angry but also concerned. "Thanks for rescuing me," I rasped out. "How did you find me?"

"I followed you, what did you think?"

I frowned because speaking seemed to be too much of an effort, breathing was already troublesome enough.

"Did you think you could prove a point by swimming in such weather?"

I averted my eyes, I already felt stupid enough. Even more because I almost died. My bed dipped as he sat down on the edge of it. He scrutinized me before he tilted his head to one side thoughtfully. "Did you want to prove your manhood? Because Nora and I joked about you being the wife?"

I felt anger welling up within me again. It was hard enough for me to be out in the open with our relationship. Well, with our changed relationship and I absolutely hated it when House rambled that he was of course the one to wear the breeches.

I felt humiliated by the memory of me stomping out of the room, muttering that I was not the wife rather than a tough guy. It sounded somewhat … immature now. Wearily I rubbed my hands over my eyes and coughed some more. I pretended not to listen to him but he tipped my chin up and forced me to look at him. I squirmed restlessly on the bed and finally I squeezed out, "I was acting like an idiot. Can we let this topic rest now?"

"You. Almost. Drowned." The clipped tone and the serious expression on his face sent chills up and down my spine. "I still intend to give you that hiding as soon as we're home."

I coughed and whined because it hurt when I coughed. Teary-eyed I glanced at him, trying to gauge if he was serious or not. "You … you … are not serious, are you?"

"Of course I'm serious! Just in case you want to prove your manhood again and try to kill yourself. Maybe the fear of getting a good old spanking from me will prevent such a disaster."

"I'm not … not going home when you threaten me!"

"Why not? Nora said she'd join us."

For a few seconds I even forgot that I was hurting, I was too stunned. I felt the inevitable blush creep up in my face when he smirked. I pursed my lips into something that was certainly a petulant pout but I didn't care. "Jerk," I said, then decided to play along, "Sounds like fun. You don't mind spanking me while I'm busy with Nora, do you?"

The smirk vanished instantly and the icy stare that was directed towards me, caused my bronchi to constrict and leave me breathless again. I closed my eyes and willed the fear of suffocating to stay at bay. A light tap on my cheek persuaded me to open my eyes again. There was not even a hint of humor left in House's eyes when he told me, "You are not allowed to make fun of this. You almost died because of … of a joke."

I was exhausted, feeling guilty and irritated. I did what I always did in such a situation – I snapped back. "Oh, so I need your permission? What about you? You tried to electrocute yourself, you-"

I was cut off by a loud, "Cut it out!"

I obeyed – immediately. "I'm sorry," I mumbled. I was and I was also ashamed.

He sighed and waited until I coughed for a few minutes, desperately trying to clear my airways. I flinched when he laid his hands on my shoulders and asked me to look at him. "You almost killed yourself because of something silly. I wanted to be pain free. Don't you think there's a difference?"

I swallowed and gasped even more for breath. I felt terrible but couldn't say anything because he added, "I wanted to get better and I did. Mayfield helped and finally getting what I wanted for years helped a great deal too. Even though I'm still in awe that you went so far as to propose to me just to win."

I blushed and he smirked. I fiddled with the blanket and shrugged my shoulders. He brought the headboard of my bed to an semi-upright position, fluffed up my pillow and pushed me back. My eyes felt heavy and my chest still hurt immensely. He fumbled around with the IV-drip and I watched him.

"House? You never answered my question."

He grinned at me, "No? I thought I did when I dragged you into my bedroom later that night and made you scream my name."

I huffed but I was smiling nonetheless. He told me to go to sleep and brushed some strands of my hair out of my face. It had grown out again because I had discovered that he liked it better that way. I was already on my way to falling asleep when he asked, "Do you still want to hear my answer? Would it prevent you from pulling such a stunt?"

His voice sounded so soft and even a tad frightened that I believed to be dreaming. I became aware that I wasn't when he nudged me and repeated, "Do you want to hear my answer? Jimmy?"

I pried my eyes open to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating. I wasn't, so I nodded. I felt the desire to apologize again, "I'm sorry for … for upsetting you."

"Upsetting me?" he snorted. "You didn't upset me. You scared me to death. Well, and after you scared me shitless you made me feel furious."

"This is still not the answer to my question," I answered, trying to stir the actual conversation into a different one.

Suddenly his hands cupped my face and his thumbs stroked over my cheekbones. That was such a sweet and tender gesture that my eyes fluttered shut. He pressed his forehead against mine, then batted his eyelashes against mine. He had done this on our very first night that we shared together in bed and it _always_ got me smiling.

His simple retort was, "Yes."

XXXXX

When I was released from the hospital one week later I was still weak but overall feeling good. That feeling evaporated as soon as I stepped over the threshold and caught a glimpse at the supplies that were outspread on our bed – a wooden spoon, a belt, two different paddles and a whip. I jumped when a flashlight went off and House cackled.

My heart was still beating a rapid staccato while he cleared the bed and put the items in a small red box. All the while he was chuckling and shaking his head. I stumbled over to the bed and stretched out on top of it. House joined me and pulled me in close. Earnestly he said, "Whenever you feel like doing something idiotic you'll remember that red box and change your mind."

"I guess so. You definitely have a unique way of showing your concern."

"Want me to show you something else?" he leered at me.

"That was lame," I chided him.

I took this statement back only a few minutes later while I writhed underneath him. Instead I promised him to never risk my life again. He groaned his appreciation while he thrusted into me, causing me to shudder and yell his name when waves of pleasure rolled through me. I didn't mind to be shaken up by those kind of waves.

END


End file.
